BAGHDAD - The U.S. military said Wednesday it killed an al-Qaida leader in Iraq who specialized in training suicide bombers northwest of Baghdad.

The man was identified in a statement as Muhammad Abdullah Abbas al-Issawi the al-Qaida "security emir" in Anbar province, Iran's Press TV reported.

"During the operation, the terrorists engaged ground forces with small arms fire," the statement said. "Coalition forces used appropriate self-defense measures and engaged the armed men, killing two and detaining one."

Elsewhere, an Iraqi interior ministry official said four people were killed and 13 were wounded in Baghdad on Wednesday by mortar fire and a roadside bombing, CNN reported.

Northeast of Baghdad near Baquba, a suicide bomber targeting a police station detonated his explosives belt at a security checkpoint, killing four policemen and injuring 10 civilians and six police officers, officials said.